Witn esses



(No Model.) 7 G. W. BENNETT 8:; T. S. FITCH.

PILOT 0R WHEEL GUARD. No. 299,330. Patented Maj 27, 1884.

FlG-l WITNESSES INVENTEIRS .www 71% N PETERS. Phowmho n tm. Waihinglnl. n1;

Warren Starts PATENT rrrcn.

GEORGE WV. BENNETT AND THADDEUS S. FITCH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

PILOTOR WHEEL-GUARD.

irPE-CIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,330, dated May 27, 1884.

Application lilerl November 7, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. BEN- INETT and THADDEUS S. FrroI-r, both residents.

of San Francisco, California, have invented a new and Improved Pilot or Safety WVheel- Guard for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a guard to be placed in front of street-car wheels to prevent obstacles which may be upon the track frompassing under them.

It consists of a frame with a horizontal shelf, ordinarily hung up, but which is dropped down to the track by the action of what we call our trigger-guard, which throws the main guard-frame off from its supports whenever the said trigger-guard meets an obstruction. The object is to prevent accidents to persons or animals passing in front of the wheels, either at the ends or in between the four wheels.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is the side view of a car, showing one of our guards at each end, one being hung up, as when out of operation, and the other dropped down, as in the act of picking up an obstacle from the track. Fig. 2 is a side view of the guard, to a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a front View.

Like letters of reference represent like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

A is an ordinary streetcar, run by any suitable motive power.

B B are the wheels.

0 is the line of the surface of the rails.

D D are the front and rear platforms.

Our guard should be placed in a position about as shown in the drawings, though it may be farther from or closer to the wheels, if desired. The guard consists of the vertical frame E, of any suitable construction, of either wood, iron, or strong wire-netting upon a frame, and a horizontal shelf, E, which should be of wood with a rounded edge, f, as shown. This guard is braced behind with braces G G, which, bracing the top and bottom of the frame, converge to a common center, where they connect with a fulcrum-rod, H, upon which the guard swings up and down.

I I are hangers, each made in one piece, which form bearings for the ends of the fulcrum-rod H, and supports and guides for the M is a small pad of rubber at the bottom of 6 the slot J, upon which the pin strikes in falling. The hole in each hanger in which the fnlcrunrrod H is received is a slotted one, also having a slight incline, scarcely perceptible, so that some effort may be required to push the frame back, and that it may not have a tendency to work back itself.

N is our trigger-frame, which is simply a rod sitting transversely with the track, padd'ed with a piece of rubber hose, 0, and bent upward at each end to rest upon the horizontal shelf of the guard and be hung on pivots, P, at each side of the upright frame, so that it may swing thereon as a fulcrum.

The particular manner of securing the dif ferent parts together may be varied, according to the preference of the constructeras, for instance, the braces and fulcrum-rod may be of one piece welded together or separate pieces connected or fastened together.

The operation is as follows: Ordinarily the guard is hung up five or six inches above the track, more or less, accordingly as the road is smooth and level, or rough and having steep grades. The trigger-frame is always close to the track, say within an inch. In this condition the guard will remain without needing any attention until upon an occasion some obstruction being met with as the car proceeds along the track, when the trigger-frame will strike it and immediately push the frame E back until the pins on the side are released 0f half-round iron,'Q, may be placed under the shelf, so that joints in the rails may be easily passed over.

These guards may be placed at one end, if the car only goes one end first; but if it goes either end first, then there must be a guard at both ends.

The guards may be applied between the Wheels, if there is room.

What We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. An automatic safety-guard for vehicles traveling on rails, consisting of the combination of a frameto form the guard, hung up above the track upon supports when out of service, and a light trigger-frame attached thereto, capable of running close to or upon the track, but not in itself acting as a Wheelguard, which, upon striking an obstacle, will asta fan'rrptn the rails, substantially as and for the purpose described. a

2. The combination of the drop-frame E, shelf F, trigger-frame N, hangers I I, braces G, and fulcrum-rod H, all arranged and operating together substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The light trigger-frame N, not being in itself a wheel-guard, passing close to or upon the track, and acting, immediately upon striking an obstacle, to bring into operation any suitable Wheel-guard, substantially as and for GEORGE PARDY, I WM. P. DRUM.

push bagl g the guard to release it from its sup- 2o the purpose described. 1 

